Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to help new Elite Dangerous players kickstart their journey in trading!
1. Start Small and Scale Up Gradually
• Beginners should focus on low-risk, high-demand items. Start with goods like basic medicines or food cartridges that many systems need and don’t cost much upfront. This keeps initial investments low while allowing you to understand the basics of supply and demand.
• Trade along high-traffic routes between agricultural and industrial systems. Agricultural systems sell goods like food and bio-waste cheaply, while industrial systems buy these items at a profit and sell manufactured items you can resell elsewhere.
2. Use the Galaxy Map to Find Profitable Routes
• In the Galaxy Map, select the “Trade Data” filter to view the types of goods different systems produce and consume. This will help you identify profitable trade routes between systems.
• Trade Routes Display: Use it to see the flow of goods between systems. Aim for routes between two systems with high supply and demand in complementary categories, as they usually offer consistent profits.
3. Get Familiar with Trade Tools
• In-game: The in-game market gives an idea of profitable trades, but third-party tools can give more accurate real-time information on commodity prices.
• Third-Party Tools: Websites like EDDB (Elite Dangerous Database) and Inara can be game-changers. These resources allow you to find current commodity prices and profitable trade routes. Keep it simple—focus on a few profitable trades rather than getting bogged down with the most complex routes.
4. Understand Supply and Demand Basics
• Systems can have high, medium, or low supply and demand for certain commodities. Generally, you want to buy goods in high-supply systems (where prices are lower) and sell them in high-demand systems (where prices are higher).
• Types of Systems: Each system economy has specific import and export needs, so learn which goods are in demand in agricultural, industrial, extraction, and refinery economies.
5. Avoid Dangerous Systems
• While it might be tempting to go for big profits in anarchy or conflict zones, start with secure, high-security systems to avoid getting attacked by pirates. This keeps risks low and is less stressful as you learn.
• As you progress, you can consider trade missions in riskier systems for higher rewards, but at the start, prioritize safety.
6. Leverage Trading Missions for Extra Income
• Mission Boards: Check the mission boards at stations, as many offer trading missions with bonuses that can be profitable. These missions often provide guaranteed payments and can be more profitable than regular trading, especially at lower ranks.
• Influence and Reputation: Completing these missions can help increase your influence and reputation with certain factions, which can open up higher-paying missions over time.
7. Upgrade to Larger Cargo Holds as You Progress
• Trading success in Elite Dangerous depends heavily on the amount of cargo you can carry. As you accumulate credits, upgrade your ship’s cargo capacity and gradually move to ships with larger cargo holds.
• Storage Size vs. Speed Balance: Try to keep a balance between storage and speed. Early on, a small, fast ship with modest storage is ideal for avoiding trouble, but as you progress, a larger ship with a greater cargo hold will allow you to maximize profit.
Following these basics should help beginners ease into trading and start seeing profits in no time. The best part about trading is how scalable it is: with a steady progression, you’ll soon be able to invest in larger ships and bigger trades!
